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Critical Minerals, Real Supply Chains: What Alaska Manufacturers Should Be Watching

Expansive open-pit mine with terraced layers and earth-toned rocks. Mountain range in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Alaska is back in the national conversation around critical minerals. Graphite, copper, zinc, and other materials essential to batteries, defense systems, and energy infrastructure are increasingly being framed as supply-chain priorities for the United States. Several recent articles highlight this shift, including coverage of Graphite One’s domestic graphite strategy, renewed attention on the Ambler Mining District, and ongoing operations like the Greens Creek Mine near Juneau.


For Alaska manufacturers, the question isn’t whether you support or oppose any one project.


The real question is simpler and more practical: If these supply chains move forward, where do Alaska manufacturers fit?


This isn’t just about mining


It’s easy to think of critical minerals as something that happens “out there” at a mine site. In reality, mining is only the first step. What turns a mineral into something useful is everything that comes after:

  • Processing and refining

  • Fabrication and component manufacturing

  • Storage, handling, and packaging

  • Maintenance, repair, and specialized equipment

  • Cold-weather logistics and transport

  • Environmental monitoring and compliance services


That’s where manufacturing shows up.

“Critical minerals don’t become strategic assets until supply chains exist to move, process, and use them.”

Recent coverage of Graphite One makes this clear. The company isn’t just talking about extracting graphite in Alaska. It’s talking about building a fully domestic supply chain tied to U.S. manufacturing needs, particularly batteries and defense applications. That framing matters because it shifts the conversation from “a mine” to an ecosystem.


What the Ambler conversation really signals


Several articles also focus on regulatory changes and renewed federal attention around the Ambler Mining District. These stories often get boiled down to a single question: Is the Ambler Road going to happen or not?


For manufacturers, that’s not the most useful lens.


What matters more is this:

  • Federal and state rules around permitting and infrastructure are actively changing

  • Access, timelines, and requirements are still uncertain

  • Planning windows may open before final approvals are in place


That uncertainty can feel frustrating, but it also creates an opportunity for Alaska businesses that are paying attention early.


You don’t need a project to be “fully approved” to start asking smart questions:

  • What capabilities would be needed if it moves forward?

  • Which parts of the supply chain could realistically happen in Alaska?

  • What constraints would make local participation harder?


A real-world example already operating: Greens Creek


While some projects remain in debate, Greens Creek Mine near Juneau shows what long-term operations actually look like on the ground.


Greens Creek has operated for decades and relies on:

  • Ongoing maintenance and fabrication

  • Transportation and logistics services

  • Environmental and safety systems

  • A skilled local workforce

  • Vendors and contractors that understand Alaska conditions


This is an important reminder that mining doesn’t just create extraction jobs. It creates steady demand for manufactured goods and services over time.

“The quiet work of keeping a complex operation running is where many Alaska businesses already contribute.”

Why this matters now for manufacturers


Across these articles, one theme is consistent: the U.S. wants more domestic supply chains for materials it considers essential. Alaska is increasingly part of that picture.

For manufacturers, this doesn’t mean rushing into something new tomorrow. It means being aware of where demand could grow over the next decade.


This space is especially relevant if your business works in:

  • Metal fabrication or machining

  • Industrial systems, tanks, or structural components

  • Cold-weather equipment or infrastructure

  • Processing, drying, packaging, or material handling

  • Freight, warehousing, or logistics support

  • Environmental, testing, or compliance services


Even if only a portion of processing or value-added work happens in Alaska, that can still mean meaningful opportunities for local manufacturers.


What AKMA members should be thinking about


Rather than asking “Is this project good or bad?” we encourage manufacturers to ask:

  • Where could Alaska realistically add value beyond extraction?

  • What would make it easier for local businesses to participate?

  • What infrastructure or policy gaps keep work from staying in state?

  • What skills or equipment investments might be needed long-term?


These are the kinds of questions AKMA is tracking and bringing into broader conversations about Alaska’s manufacturing future.


The bottom line


Critical minerals are not just a resource issue. They are a manufacturing and supply-chain issue.


Whether it’s graphite for batteries, metals for defense systems, or materials needed for energy infrastructure, Alaska manufacturers have a role to play if supply chains are designed with local capacity in mind.


AKMA’s focus is making sure manufacturers:

  • Aren’t left out of early planning conversations

  • Have visibility into what’s coming

  • Can speak clearly about real-world constraints and opportunities


If you’re a manufacturer and want to help shape how these conversations unfold, we want to hear from you.


This is exactly the kind of moment where showing up early matters.


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